We Are Family

Family Weekend 2016 at PCL.
Family Weekend 2016 at PCL.

UT Libraries welcomed over 200 individuals to its main library, the Perry-Castañeda Library, and made many more connections at the Great Texas Showcase during Family Weekend.

Your students are in great hands with UT Libraries!

Help us help your family and remind your student that:

  • UT Libraries has 10 libraries across campus and many of them have extended hours to help your student during crunch time.
  • Our libraries have quiet and collaborative floors and some libraries have reservable group study rooms.
  • You can visit or chat online with a librarian for help with your research projects.
  • PCL’s Learning Commons has writing, public speaking, and media project support available through one-on-one appointments or through workshops @ PCL.
  • Students can use computers and printers in any library. PCL and the Fine Arts Library have media labs with specialized hardware and software.
  • Find books, ebooks, movies, music, journal articles, and more online and in the library. You can also check for course readings at the front desk!
  • Headphones and calculators are available for check out in more libraries; the Fine Arts Library even has cool equipment like GoPro cameras and tablets available.
  • The Libraries host free concerts, workshops, study breaks, lectures, panels, and therapy dogs. Find out more on social media! (Event calendar)

Interested in getting more involved with UT Libraries or have suggestions for next year? Please contact us at events@lib.utexas.edu

Collection Highlight: Jewish Cantors

Detail of Jewish cantors and opera stars.
Detail of Jewish cantors and opera stars.

The Historical Music Recordings Collection houses a group of 408 discs (78 rpm) of Jewish cantors and opera stars that were generously donated by Joseph Prager in 1995.

Pictures of the cantors and stars have been cut and pasted to the spines of the albums.

The collection includes work by Yossele Rosenblatt, considered one of the greatest Cantors of his era, and who has been referred to as the “Jewish Caruso.” Rosenblatt performed as himself in the first talking film, The Jazz Singer.

Cantors serve an important function in Jewish religious practices, as explained below by musician Jeremiah Lockwood.

The Foundry is Open

A student tries out the Vive virtual reality equipment.
A student tries out the Vive virtual reality equipment.

After a frenetic summer of construction, the new maker space at the Fine Arts Library — The Foundry — opened to great fanfare (literally) on September 7.

More than 300 attendees were welcomed to the renovated area on the main floor of FAL with a flourish of horns by the FivE Euphonium Quartet — as well as other performances by Butler School of Music students and director Jerry Junkin — and remarks by Vice Provost Lorraine Haricombe, College of Fine Arts dean Douglas Dempster and Provost Maurie McInnis.

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FAL staff and students provided demonstrations of the new tools and technology that inhabit the space, and the centerpiece video wall projected examples of creative work produced by art and design students from across campus.

Guests had the opportunity to see the 3-D printers, a carver, sewing and embroidery machines, and MFA student Jon Haas provided a hologram projection onto a large model of the UT Tower to the delight of onlookers.

The opening attracted interest from around the university community, as well as area residents, donors and local media.

Austin Chronicle

Austin American-Statesman

AustinInno

Daily Texan

Interim FAL head librarian David Hunter and Libraries supporter Jan Roberts pose for Austin American-Statesman photographer Ralph Barrera.

With the space completed, efforts to train staff and student assistants on the technical particulars of the new equipment and the development of training materials and video tutorials for patrons is well underway. The space is expected to be fully functional by the end of October, and the wait begins to see how students will use the space for creativity and innovation.

All photos by Lawrence Peart, provided by the College of Fine Arts.

Building Relations, Connecting UT Libraries to the Coast and Back

Jessica Trelogan discusses data management.
Jessica Trelogan discusses data management.

Knowledge, relationship, awareness, perception, assessment, responsiveness, realization, recognition, insight, creativity, vision, and GRASP! Bingo, a seminar!

After a year’s planning and one conversation between a marine science librarian and a faculty member, a grand opportunity came to fruition for the Marine Science Library to connect the Marine Science Institute and its regional partners with UT Libraries. On August 19, we hosted a 2-hour seminar on Scholarly Publishing & Data Management at the institute in Port Aransas. Yes, “that place on the beach!” By inviting expert librarians from UT Libraries, a diverse audience received an informative session on topics relevant to researchers, librarians and students.

Colleen Lyon covers copyright and the basics of scholarly communications.
Colleen Lyon covers copyright and the basics of scholarly communications.

Colleen Lyon, Scholarly Communications Librarian at UT Libraries, covered the basics of copyright, transfer agreements associated with copyright, open access publishing and how to legally share research on online tools like ResearchGate and Academia.edu.

Jessica Trelogan, Data Management Coordinator at UT Libraries, shared her expertise on basic data management planning and principles. Requirements from funding agencies, publishers, and institutions continue to create pressures on researchers who are already stretched for time and funds. Jessica discussed the process of creating and writing a Data Management Plan (DMP), how to make data more discoverable, accessible and reusable, and provided useful resources.

The event was held in the large seminar room located in the Estuarine Research Center building, creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, with views of the dunes and Gulf of Mexico. The small group of participants included faculty, staff and students from the Marine Science Institute and librarians from Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi. Throughout the seminar, thought-provoking questions led to some great discussions and our presenters handled them with ease.

After the session, attendees had an opportunity to chat, while enjoying a delicious lunch provided by the Mustang Island Food Company of Port Aransas.

The Marine Science Library continues to find creative ideas for its role in providing opportunities in learning and research. The seminar event was a great success!

Jessica Trelogan, Liz De Hart and Colleen Lyon.
Jessica Trelogan, Liz De Hart and Colleen Lyon.